All eyes were on Mira as she cut a swath of destruction through the Crimson Slayer Sect disciples.
The disciples from the other sects watched in abject terror as she systematically and ruthlessly tore through the opposing force. She moved through the battlefield like a whirlwind of destruction, leaving behind a bloody wake.
Crimson Slayer Sect disciples were being exterminated with such ruthlessness that it was as if they were nothing more than ants under her feet. The screams of their dying comrades echoed across the battlefield, a horrifying symphony of death and despair.
And it wasn't just Mira. The Battle Maidens, rallied by Skye, charged forward with such ferocity that they struck terror into the hearts of their enemies. Every disciple that stood in their path was cut down mercilessly.
In less than a few minutes, the tide of the battle was changing. The once formidable Crimson Slayer Sect forces were losing ground rapidly. The battlefield was littered with corpses, their blood painting the earth a gruesome shade of red.
Yet, the more bodies Mira and the Battle Maidens cut down, the more they seemed to be invigorated. It was as if they were drawing power from their vanquished foes, their strength growing with every life they took.
Back at the rear, the disciples from the other sects were watching in stunned silence. They had known that Mira was strong. But to see her single-handedly dominate the battlefield like this was both inspiring and terrifying.
Even the killing intent she unconsciously released was more than enough to send chills down their spines.
"Mira..." A slender figure wearing a blue Battle Maiden Sect robe with green hair and a saber muttered, her eyes wide with awe. Every time she saw Mira rampage like this, the terrifying beauty of it oddly captivated her.
[A/N: In case you forgot, a blue robe signifies that they are Inner Court Disciples, meaning they've reached the 1st Stage of the Nascent Soul Realm at the very least.]
"...W-What the hell?! I know you told me she was strong, but isn't this a bit much, Celaine?! It hasn't even been that long since we joined the Sect!" A black-haired woman exclaimed as she sliced apart a few enemies, landing next to the green-haired woman, Celaine.
Celaine shrugged, "That's just how she is. And don't forget that we aren't weaklings either, Asami. It's just that our strengths lie elsewhere."
Asami shut her mouth after hearing that. What Celaine said was true, after all. They were far from weaklings. Rather, she doubted that she had ever worked so hard in her life!
Celaine trained, cultivated, sparred, took missions and studied techniques without rest for years.
The two of them became rather close in the years after they joined the Battle Maiden Sect, so Asami often followed in her endeavors.
Seeing Celaine train so hard was both a wake-up call and motivation for her to work hard as well. However, the green-haired saber woman was just insane!
She only fought strong opponents so that she could fight with her life on the line. Even with her strength, she trained with her saber so much that she had large blisters on her hands. She did everything she could to buy/earn accommodations to make her cultivation more efficient.
Everything she did, even the days she slept, was highly optimized for getting stronger.
However, there were only so many hours in a day…
"...When we're done here, I think I'm going to put more focus on cultivating my body," Celaine muttered as she ran ahead, flicking a few wind blades at the people running toward her, bisecting their bodies.
"...Are you going to ask Mira for advice?" Asami asked, catching up to Celaine.
"I guess you could say that," Celaine shrugged, then shook her head, "However, it'd be more correct to say I need direction. I know how to get stronger, but clearly, I don't know the best way to do so."
Asami wanted to say something else, but before she could, Celaine dove into a group of people. Thus, she could only shake her head and join her.
'I'll ask her what she means later.'
***
As the battle raged on, Mira was oblivious to the silent observers. Her focus was on the enemy before her, the path of destruction she was carving.
She moved like a specter, her scythe slicing through flesh and bone as if they were made of paper.
Mira was the embodiment of death, her aura so overwhelming that it struck fear into the hearts of even the most hardened warriors. Yet, for all her terrifying power, there was a calmness to her, a serenity that belied the carnage she was causing.
Despite the chaos around her, Mira was in complete control. She was the eye of the storm, the calm at the heart of the hurricane.
With Mira's entrance into the war, the tides which were already in the Battle Maiden's favor quickly devolved into a slaughter. Mira's aura alone struck fear into the hearts of whoever looked at her, and with how active she was on the battlefield, what person didn't glance over to see what was going on?
As the tide of the battle turned into a flood, the disciples of the Crimson Slayer Sect, Toxic Blade Sect, and Shadow Necromancer Sect found themselves drowning in the sea of the Battle Maiden's overwhelming might. It was no longer a battle but a relentless slaughter.
Mira, with her terrifying aura and formidable strength, led the charge. She was a whirlwind of destruction, cutting through the enemy forces like a scythe through wheat. The battlefield echoed with the screams of the dying and the suffering of the living.
All the while, the Battle Maidens, fueled by the thought of winning the war, followed in her wake. They were an unstoppable force, their collective strength like a tidal wave crashing against the dwindling ranks of their enemies. Every disciple that crossed their path was swept away, cut down without mercy.
The disciples from the Crimson Slayer Sect, Toxic Blade Sect, and Shadow Necromancer Sect fought back with desperation. Yet, every move they made was countered, and every defense they mounted shattered under the Battle Maidens' relentless assault. The once formidable alliance was crumbling, their forces reduced to mere fodder before the Battle Maiden Sect's might.
As the slaughter continued, the battlefield was painted with a gruesome tableau of death and destruction. It was a sight that would forever be etched in the minds of the disciples.
Yet, just when it seemed like the bloodbath would continue unabated, a figure descended from the heavens, halting the chaos.
Aelina appeared above the battlefield. In her grasp was a mangled, beaten body, more a lump of meat than a person. The sight was so gruesome that it made the onlookers wince.
But it wasn't the body's horrific state that drew gasps from the onlookers, but the person it belonged to.
"Sect Master Cyrus..." The words spread through the crowd, whispered in tones of shock and disbelief. Cyrus, the formidable Sect Master of the Crimson Slayer Sect, had been reduced to such a state. The sight was chilling, a chilling demonstration of Aelina's power.
Aelina's gaze swept across the battlefield, her eyes cold and merciless. She didn't speak, yet her silence was more terrifying than any words she could have uttered.
Slowly, she lifted her free hand and placed it on what people could only assume was Cyrus's head. Then, without hesitation, she ripped it off of his body. There were no screams of pain, just a painless, humiliating death.
Aelina dropped both 'pieces' to the ground, and without giving them another glance, she declared, "Crimson Slayer Sect. Behold your fate!" Aelina's voice boomed across the battlefield, reaching even the farthest corners. Every word dripped with icy contempt, echoing in the hearts of every disciple present.
"Your sect chose to tread the path of aggression, brought war upon yourselves, and sought to destroy MY Sect. Today, your end has arrived."
She paused for a moment, her gaze sweeping across the battlefield, her icy eyes meeting those of the surviving enemy disciples. A shiver of fear ran through them as they met her gaze. In her eyes, they saw their imminent death.
"Your master, Cyrus, once stood as the cornerstone of your sect. He held his head high, radiating strength and power that you could only look up to. But now... see what he has been reduced to. A mere lump of meat, not even deserving of a warrior's death."
Aelina looked down at the mangled body and head of Cyrus, a clear sign of contempt etched on her face.
"Remember this sight. Remember what happens when you cross the Battle Maiden Sect. This is just a prelude compared to what the future holds. Next time, I will not be so lenient." She stared off into the distance as she said that. These words clearly weren't directed at those before her.
Aelina cast one last icy glance across the battlefield before her gaze landed on her Battle Maidens.
"Maidens," she called out, her voice resolute. "Cleanse this field of war. Remove the blight that is the Crimson Slayer Sect and all those who allied with them from this world. Leave no root of their existence."
"YES, SECT MASTER!"
A roar erupted from the Battle Maidens as they charged forward, their weapons gleaming ominously under the sun, their hearts full of resolve. Without any unnecessary thoughts, they charged at the rest of the enemies, slicing them apart like tofu, leaving no room for mercy.
It wasn't long before all sounds of battle ceased, replaced by gasping breaths, tear-choked sobs, and triumphant cheers echoing from the victorious warriors.
There was no doubt that the war had reached its conclusion. This moment would go down in history as the beginning of a new era. Many would look back on this day with regret of many kinds, but that was all for a later time.
